us.

[Footnote 2: Capt. Robert Harding, now of Ratcliff, London, was well
known in Boston, being, apparently, the same who came out with
Winthrop, went to Rhode Island, was an assistant there, and then
returned to England.]

20 July 1653. A True Coppie of the paper
was signed by written to the Capt and Company
JNO. ENDECOT, Gov. of the dutch prise--20th of
RIC. BELLINGHAM, Dept. Gov. the 5th mo. 1653.[3]
INCREASE NOWELL. EDWARD RAWSON, Secret'y.
SYMON BRADSTREET.
SAMUELL SYMONDS.
ROBT. BRIDGES.
JNO. GLOVER.
DANIELL GOOKIN.
DANIEL DENISON, Maj'r Gen'll.

[Footnote 3: The fifth month, in the reckoning usual among the English
at this time, was July, March being the first. The civil year began on
March 25.]

_8. Declaration of Governor Endicott. August (?), 1653._[1]

[Footnote 1: Mass. Archives, vol. 60, p. 174.]

To all whom these presents may concerne, greeting etc.

Know yee that the ship called the _holy gost_ of Amsterdam of the
burthen about 160 tune beeing taken as a prize and carried away out of
the Roade of the Iland of Barbados by some seamen and some planters
and Inhabitants of the said Iland, the said Ship and company in their
sayling Faling upon the coasts of new England were mett with at sea
about 50 leagues from our harbor of Boston in great extremity, wanting
provision, by a ship bound from London to our Ports whoe supplied them
for there present need and pilatted them into one of our harbors
called Natasket[2] where there is not a fort to bring a ship under
Command. the Councell hearing of such a ship lying there sent to the
Capt and company of the said ship and invited them to come into our
harbor at Boston, they being afrade so to doe by reason (as the
Councell was enformed) they were told that if they came into the
harbor the Capt and Company should bee imprisoned and the ship seased.
afterwards the Capt coming a shore, as alsoe some of the company, the
Capt was arrested and some of the company were imprisoned, who were
examined apt [apart] what ship it was they had taken and whence shee
was, whither of Holland or of Spayne,[3] or wheather they had used any
cruelty to any of the Company they tooke, either by wounding, killing
or setting any of them ashore upon any Iland or other place to the
endangering of there lives. they all agreed in one relation that no
such thing was done by them or any man hurt, And there beeing not any